Another Feeling of Nostalgia

I was at my sis's place last evening when the TV started playing this year's National Day theme song. It was one of the worst I've heard in recent years!

Anyone realised that the trend nowadays is to have a new song every year and sung by one (or more) local singer? The list of them as far as I can recall includes Kit Chan, Stephanie Sun, Tanya Chua, etc.... With the songs of recent years being bad enough, I hope the organisers don't worsen it by inviting sub-standard singers (SG Idols?) to sing it.....

No matter what, I still prefer the songs of yester-years such as the infamous Count On Me Singapore, We Are Singapore, etc.... I recalled back then during my school days, we would all be expected to learn/practice/memorise/sing a few of these songs during Music lessons, during assembly and of course, during the National Day Celebration itself! Singing these songs properly was a big thing back then and teachers would go around catching students who merely lip-synch. I wonder if teachers nowadays still do the same thing... Does schools nowadays even 'enforce' the singing of National Day songs during National Day Celebration.

Can anyone answer me?

You may not think much of it but singing those 'retro' songs as compared to today's 'modern' songs has a great deal of difference. The 'retro' ones must be sang by many in order to bring out the 'feel' of it and somehow along the way as you sing it, you'd just feel proud to be a Singaporean. In fact, I still do feel this way whenever I hear those songs (in it orginal melody, not the remixed versions). Those 'modern' songs simple DOESN'T give me the same kinda feel at all. To me, they're more like pop songs than National Day theme songs.

Perhaps the organisers want to have a catchier tune to connect with the younger crowd and I'm sure they had succeeded with the connection, during the National Day period only, if you asked me. Why so?

Lets do an experiment : Ask anyone in the street to name 3 'modern' National Day Theme post-National Day. I'd bet my last dollar that maybe only 10% of them can name you 1 or 2 songs. I'm pretty confident the same group would be able to effortlessly name 3 of those 'retro' ones.

I, for one, can effortlessly name (singing them might be an issue though) 5.... And I didn't cheat by referring to any resources beforehand!

1. Count On Me Singapore
2. We Are Singapore
3. Stand Up For Singapore
4. Five Stars Arising
5. One People, One Nation, One Singapore